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Monday, July 16, 2012

John was out of town this weekend, leaving me to my own devices. There was a time when I would have scrambled to fill up every moment, but instead I made what felt like a powerful decision–I would take the weekend for myself, not just be alone, but truly savor and indulge in time to myself. And the best part?

It was heavenly.

I slipped out of the office on Friday afternoon long before my usual quittin' time with a bag of lime and a handful of perfectly ripe avocados; I munched on guacamole and sipped a margarita while my very wise (and very dear) friend Rhi of Hey Gorgeous Events gave me some invaluable advice about saying no–it wasn't until later that I found out she was dispensing wisdom half naked, but I won't argue with the guru's methods! Later, I rented a girly flick John would never even entertain watching, and fell asleep before the credits rolled.

I woke up on Saturday, grabbed a book and curled up in an armchair, watching the previous evening's fog slowly disperse. Toast, berries and a cup of tea was the perfect little meal around eleven, and then I got dressed and headed out to explore Fillmore Street, a little shopping district where I once worked but haven't set foot in in more than year! I strolled up and down, popping into shops I loved and getting lost in a newsstand chock full of international fashion glossies. After whiling away the afternoon, I headed home to devour all my favorite blogs and get a head start on the week to come. Finally my growling stomach told me it was time for dinner, and I walked to Outerlands, a local treat that's all too well known! It took more than 30 minutes to secure a single seat at the bar, but the wait was well worth it–zucchini soup warmed me up after waiting in the sea breeze, and the beef tenderloin and duck fat new potatoes were delicious, especially with a glass of gamay. I strolled home after the sun had set but before the sky darkened (arguably my favorite thing about summer) and curled up with the first season of Downton Abbey–John can't stand period dramas, so I'd never seen so much as an episode!

Instead of lazing around on Sunday morning, I pulled on some clothes and took a walk down to our local grocery for orange juice, chives and gruyère; Barbara Walter's scrambled eggs were heavenly with a few new potatoes and a strong cup of tea. I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon reading, blogging and cleaning–some of my favorite things–then turned my attention to my yoga mat. After my navasanas, I took a quick shower and headed to the movie theater to catch a late-afternoon showing of To Rome With Love. Of course, after so much Italian cooking and eating, you couldn't blame me for craving pasta and prosecco–or reenacting that Barilla pasta ad, although I was belting Bellini instead!

Tell me, when was the last time you indulged in some time to yourself?

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comments:

Ok HOW did I not know about that film? I'm obsessed with both Rome and Woody Allen, so I am basically going to be dying until they figure out a UK release date! I love the sound of your weekend, and solo dinners out are just my favourite thing. I love that you made the most of your time on your own!

Your weekend sounds lovely!! I get a lot of time to myself during the week, and on very rainy days like today I enjoy reading with the windows open and my dog curled up with me on our couch. I'll Swiffer eventually. =)

Awesome that you had such a great time sans John. I like it when Bob leaves the house, so I can freely watch movies like Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and The Wedding Planner. It's so much better when you don't have comments from the peanut gallery like, "You're going to watch a WHOLE MOVIE about dancing?". Ha.

Author and editor Lena is a music and dance scholar and classically trained coloratura soprano who adores F. Scott Fitzgerald and hand-written notes,
believes every household should have a chilled bottle of Champagne on hand,
and loves very few things more than a perfectly placed polka dot.